Matthew Wade axed from Australia's Test team as selectors name two squads at once

Matthew Wade has been axed from Australia's Test cricket team as selectors unveiled two squads at once to tour South Africa and New Zealand.

Wade paid the price for a poor home series against India where he opened the batting and then dropped down to No 5.

Selectors lost patience with the veteran left-hander, whose Test average dipped below 30, and Wade has also not been picked as the back-up Test wicket-keeper.

Alex Carey has instead been named in the Test squad to tour South Africa while Wade has been named vice-captain of the T20 squad to tour New Zealand at the same time.

Tim Paine received pointed backing from Cricket Australia's national teams boss Ben Oliver after his captaincy credentials were questioned in the seismic series loss to India.

"Tim Paine has been an outstanding captain since taking over the Australian men's Test team in incredibly difficult circumstances," Oliver said.

"Tim has the support of the team, the coach and everyone else at Cricket Australia and the result of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series has done nothing to diminish that.

"Tim is in career-best form with the bat and, while the series against India was not his best with the gloves by his own admission, he remains in the top echelon of wicketkeepers globally.

"And as a leader, he has been brilliant. To captain a squad through the many challenges presented by the pandemic - not least the unique pressures of hub life - is no easy task and Tim did that with strength, humility and good humour.

"After a series that attracted so much global interest, it was inevitable there'd be scrutiny. But some of the commentary surrounding Tim and his position as Test captain has been wide of the mark. "

The big talking points in the T20 squad are the inclusions of exciting uncapped youngsters Tanveer Sangha and Josh Phillippe.

Sangha is a 19-year-old leg-spinner while Philippe is a free scoring batsman who also keeps wicket.

"In a World Cup year, it's exciting to select a squad that combines some of the biggest names in international T20 cricket with the best emerging players in the country," selector Trevor Hohns said.

"We like the balance of this squad for what should be a thrilling series against the Black Caps. "

AUSTRALIA'S TEST SQUAD TO TOUR SOUTH AFRICA

Tim Paine (c) (Tasmania)

Pat Cummins (vc) (New South Wales)

Sean Abbott (New South Wales)

Alex Carey (South Australia)

Cameron Green (Western Australia)

Marcus Harris (Victoria)

Josh Hazlewood (New South Wales)

Travis Head (South Australia)

Moises Henriques (New South Wales)

Marnus Labuschagne (Queensland)

Nathan Lyon (New South Wales)

Michael Neser (Queensland)

James Pattinson (Victoria)

Will Pucovski (Victoria)

Steve Smith (New South Wales)

Mitchell Starc (New South Wales)

Mark Steketee (Queensland)

Mitchell Swepson (Queensland)

David Warner (New South Wales)

AUSTRALIA'S T20 SQUAD TO TOUR NEW ZEALAND

Aaron Finch (c) (Victoria)

Matthew Wade (vc) (Tasmania)

Ashton Agar (Western Australia)

Jason Behrendorff (Western Australia)

Mitchell Marsh (Western Australia)

Glenn Maxwell (Victoria)

Ben McDermott (Tasmania)

Riley Meredith (Tasmania)

Josh Philippe (Western Australia)

Jhye Richardson (Western Australia)

Kane Richardson (South Australia)

Daniel Sams (New South Wales)

Tanveer Sangha (New South Wales)

D'Arcy Short (Western Australia)

Marcus Stoinis (Western Australia)

Ashton Turner (Western Australia)

Andrew Tye (Western Australia)

Adam Zampa (New South Wales)